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PAR'SHAT KI TISA: The Marvelous Mechanics of Vicarious Redemption.

2/28/2018

ויהי ממחרת ויאמר משׁה אל־העם אתם חטאתם חטאה גדלה ועתה אעלה אל־יהוה אולי אכפרה בעד חטאתכם׃
וישׁב משׁה אל־יהוה ויאמר אנא חטא העם הזה חטאה גדלה ויעשׂו להם אלהי זהב׃
ועתה אם־תשׂא חטאתם ואם־אין מחני נא מספרך אשׁר כתבת׃
׃
The next day Moshe said to the people, "You have committed a terrible sin. Now I will go up to Adonai; maybe I will be able to atone for your sin." Moshe went back to Adonai and said, "Please! These people have committed a terrible sin: they have made themselves a god out of gold. Now, if you will just forgive their sin! But if you won't, then, I beg you, blot me out of your book which you have written!" (Exo 32:30-32)

THE MARVELLOUS MECHANICS OF VICARIOUS REDEMPTION!

The Hebrew word for 'atone' in Moshe's proposal to the people of Israel, "... Maybe I will be able to atone for your sins..." uses the word "אכפרה", a word which literally means 'to cover', in the sense of one covering for someone else's transgression or debt. Another related word is "Kippur", as in "Yom Kippur/Day of Atonement."

This type of covering is not accomplished by deleting a debt or a transgression, but by paying it. So Moshe, who at that time was guiltless of the transgression of the Golden Calf, was offering to take upon himself the guilt of the whole ordeal. He was offering to do so not only for the nation of Israel, but for his brother Aaron also I sometimes hear people talk negatively about Aaron and the events that led to the Golden Calf. But Moshe's attitude is the gold standard on the issue, and we should rather take heed to emulate his reaction.

The golden calf event defines for us the idea of redemption by 'חן', a word usually translated as "grace," and often attributed the meaning of "undeserved forgiveness." The truth is that that word may be better translated as "favor", which Moshe certainly had with HaShem (Ex 33:12). The difference with grace and favor, is that "favor" is earned through obedience and faithfulness. Just like a child earns the favor of his parents or teachers by doing that which pleases them, we earn HaShem's favor by our obedience. By the same token, we can lose it by our disobedience. Moshe had earned HaShem's favor by obedience, and Israel lost it by disobedience (Heb 3:2).

What Moshe did next is at the heart of what any would-be leader for HaShem, any leader in the name of our Master should do. Here is how it went (and the Hebrew is much clearer on this than the English text.)

Favor with HaShem is like credit. Sin is like a debt. That is why the prayer says, '... forgive us our debts, as [in the same manner as] we also have forgiven our debtors. ... For if you forgive others their trespasses [their debts towards you], your heavenly Father will also forgive you, '(Mat 6:12-14). HaShem had previously promised that He would come live among His people and take them to the Promised Land. That was HaShem's marriage proposal and betrothal with Israel. After the golden calf incident, as a groom disappointed at the indiscretions of his wife to be, HaShem called off the wedding.
In the beginning of the text of Moshe's negotiation with HaShem (Ex 33:12-17) for Israel, HaShem already started to refer to Israel as, "Moshe's people." That was bad news!
To this nuance Moshe reminds HaShem that they are "His" people. Then HaShem makes an offer to Moshe. He suggests that He will go "with him" [meaning, not with the rest of the people] to the Promised Land. Now, Moshe could have thought of saving his own skin and tell Israel "Tough luck for you rebels! Bye!", but Moshe doesn't go for the deal.
As the wise diplomat that he is, Moshe decides to invest his earned credit, or his won favor, with HaShem. He then continues the negotiations by using the terminology, "Me and the people ...", in essence, Moshe sides with sinful Israel though he is guiltless of the sin of the golden calf. This implies now that if HaShem is to punish Israel, He would also have to punish Moshe, but since Moshe hadn't sinned, HaShem would be found unjust. This was the same argument that Abraham used in his negotiations with HaShem for the rescue of his nephew Lot (Gen 18:22-33).

This negotiation is an earthly blueprint of what our Master Yeshua did for us. Sinless Yeshua had "earned" favor with HaShem by always doing those things that please Him (obedience) (John 8:29). But instead of staying and enjoying HaShem's favor in the halls of the heavenly kingdom, much like Moshe did, He came to "side" with sinful us, so that like Moshe, He could negotiate for us in the sight of his Father using the terminology, "Me and Your people." As a result, we are allowed to nestle under the favor that He Himself received from HaShem. No wonder that the Redeemer to come was called 'one like Moshe!' (Deut 18:15).

This same Yeshua one day said as he was praying to the Father, "Just as you sent me into the world, I have sent them into the world." (John 17:18). In essence, we are to do the same for others as Moshe and Yeshua did for us.
It is meritorious to take the blame for someone else for the sake of peace and harmony, especially if one claims to be a leader of HaShem's people . To be able to do that and trust HaShem for the outcome is actually a sign of great maturity in understanding the heart of the nature of our role as leader for HaShem's people. Paul brought it up to the Corinthians. Unable to legislate issues between themselves, they besmirched their public image as well as HaShem's name in Corinth by enrolling secular lawyers. To that Paul exclaimed, "Actually, if you are bringing lawsuits against each other, it is already a defeat for you. Why not rather be wronged? Why not rather be cheated?" (1 Co 6:7).

To get back to Aaron, he redeemed himself later. At the time of Korah's rebellion, the Torah tells us that.

(17:9) Adonai said to Moshe, (17:10) "Get away from this assembly, and I will destroy them at once!" But they fell on their faces. (17:11) Moshe said to Aharon, "Take your fire pan, put fire from the altar in it, lay incense on it, and hurry with it to the assembly to make atonement for them, because anger has gone out from Adonai, and the plague has already begun!" (17:12) Aharon took it, as Moshe had said, and ran into the middle of the assembly. There, the plague had already begun among the people, but he added the incense and made atonement for the people. (17:13) He stood between the dead and the living, and the plague was stopped. Num 17:9-13, (16:44-48 CJB)

MAY WE ALSO BE LIKE MOSHE, AHARON AND YESHUA. WHENEVER NECESSARY, MAY WE TAKE THE WRONG UPON OURSELVES IN ORDER TO CREATE PEACE WITHIN OUR FAMILIES AND COMMUNITIES, THEREBY AND EXTENDING HaShem'S FAVOR ONTO OTHERS. MAYBE THIS IS THE MEANING OF

"How blessed are those who make peace! for they will be called sons of God.
(Mat 5:9 CJB)

THIS IS ALSO VERY GOOD ADVICE FOR MARRIAGES!

R' GAVRIEL LUMBROSO

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PAR'SHAT TETZAVEH: HaShem HaMavdil-- The God of Distinctions.

2/20/2018

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HaShem HaMavdil  ה' המבדיל: The God of Distinction.

ואתה הקרב אליך את־אהרן אחיך ואת־בניו אתו מתוך בני ישׂראל לכהנו־לי אהרן נדב ואביהוא אלעזר ואיתמר בני אהרן׃
ועשׂית בגדי־קדשׁ לאהרן אחיך לכבוד ולתפארת׃

"You are to summon your brother Aharon and his sons to come from among the people of Isra'el to you, so that they can serve me as cohanim -- Aharon and his sons Nadav, Avihu, El`azar and Itamar. You are to make for your brother Aharon garments set apart for serving God, expressing dignity and splendor. (Exo 28:1-2)

In the Havdala prayer (The prayer pronounced at the end of the Shabbat and which serves to distinguish between the Shabbat and the other days of the week) is called: 'המבדיל בין קדש וחול/He Who Makes Distinctions Between the Holy and the Profane'.

From the beginning HaShem has been the God of distinctions. He created each plant after its own kind and so each animal. One day (the Shabbat) is set-apart from the other days of the week, and in the human world, man and woman are set-apart by different biological functions. Paul the emissary commented:

Not all living matter is the same living matter; on the contrary, there is one kind for human beings, another kind of living matter for animals, another for birds and another for fish. Further, there are heavenly bodies and earthly bodies; but the beauty of heavenly bodies is one thing, while the beauty of earthly bodies is something else. The sun has one kind of beauty, the moon another, the stars yet another; indeed, each star has its own individual kind of beauty.
(1Co 15:39-41 CJB)

Even within the Jewish people, not everyone comes under the same instruction of the Torah. There is certainly one Torah, but in its reflection of HaShem's nature and character, this Torah makes distinction, and is applied differently from person to person. This is something that Western mentality doesn't feel comfortable with but there it is nevertheless. There are sets of rulings and laws that differentiate the High-priest from the regular priest; some that apply solely to those of the tribe of Levy and then to those from the family of Aaron. Certain properties such as kingship pertain to the tribe of Judah, while others only to kings. Finally, certain laws apply to men, others to women, some to soldiers, others to the proselyte, and finally to he who is a stranger in the Land. HaShem judges each of us according to our performance in the station He has assigned to us, so these distinction have nothing to do with the degree of Hashem's love for us.

Paul addresses the subject of murmuring against the station we have been assigned in HaShem's Kingdom in the following words:'...

Has the potter no right to make from a given lump of clay this pot for honorable use and that one for dishonorable?  (Rom 9:21)

Modeling after the Torah, our society uses the same types of distinction. Though none of us is above the law, for the sake of the harmonious functioning of our society, for an agreed duration, we invest people with a particular set of authorities that we agree to obey. Such are Presidents, Senators, Governors, judges, the Police Force, the Military, and even within any commercial, religious, or societal venture, some people are vested with certain powers in order to fulfill the agreed upon goals of the group. The only difference between man's world and HaShem's world is that in God's world HaShem chooses the goals, the dynamics of the position, and its duration.

In this case Aaron, Moshe's brother, is chosen to be High-priest, and his descendants after him dedicated to become the priesthood of Israel." As such they are set apart for the honor and glory of representing HaShem on earth but as such, they also have to forfeit the privileges of owning land, of having a lucrative activity, and of basically living their lives for themselves like all other Israelites are allowed to do. This decision is made without the agreement of the future generations of the children of Aaron and regardless of their inner character. Levite priests are also given a certain amount of responsibility, and as HaShem's representatives on earth, their lives need be exemplary. They will be punished for indulging in things that the regular Israeli does without fear of punishment. They have to live by the principle of, 'Others may, but I can't!

James, the brother of the Master touched on that issue concerning those who teach the Torah. He said,

Not many of you should become teachers, my brothers, since you know that we will be judged more severely.' (Jas 3:1).

Here James says that teachers are judged by a different set of laws than others. Yes, even in our society, teachers, leaders, law officers, military officers, and government officials are judged by a different set of laws from that of common folks. Politicians appear before the Senate; soldiers before a court-martial, etc ... and at the end of the day (no pun intended) whatever favorable or unfavorable sentence man bestows upon us, we all appear before HaShem's Tribunal who renders judgment according to the Laws of the Torah which we are meant to have agreed to live by.

It seems that HaShem loves to have a place for everything and everything in its place. He doesn't seem to like confusion. Even time is confined to a certain order. Mo'adim, Jubilees, Festivals, and Holy Days are immovably set in stone. king Solomon also added his own observations of times and seasons when he said,

'For everything there is a season, a right time for every intention under heaven --a time to be born and a time to die, a time to plant and a time to uproot, a time to kill and a time to heal, a time to tear down and a time to build, a time to weep and a time to laugh, a time to mourn and a time to dance, a time to throw stones and a time to gather stones, a time to embrace and a time to refrain, a time to search and a time to give up, a time to keep and a time to discard, a time to tear and a time to sew, a time to keep silent and a time to speak, a time to love and a time to hate, a time for war and a time for peace. What does the worker gain from his efforts? I have seen the task God has given humanity to keep us occupied. He has made everything suited to its time; also, he has given human beings an awareness of eternity; but in such a way that they can't fully comprehend, from beginning to end, the things God does.(Ecc 3:1-11)

Whereas we may claim to disdain the principle of distinction between people and would want to declare everyone equal, our society is based on the very principles of distinction mentioned above. Spouses and family members have rights on our person and possessions that are not given to others. It is the natural run of things as we are created after HaShem's image, meaning,after HaShem's character and nature.

Why did I muse on this subject today? I do not really know except for the fact that love dealing with observing the ways of my God. One thing I am reminded though, is that in Yeshua is fulfilled the prophecy that Israel will be set-apart (given a different status) from the rest of the world in order to become a Kingdom of Priests (Ex 19:6), a distinctive people chosen from the world to serve Him in a certain way. Peter remembered this when he spoke to the mixed (Jews and Gentiles) congregation of Rome in the following words,

But you are a chosen people, the King's cohanim, a holy nation, a people for God to possess! Why? In order for you to declare the praises of the One who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.(1Pe 2:9)

As such, just as it is with Aaron and his descendants, all those of us who claim to serve the Master, the Rabbi from Nazareth, the Messiah from HaShem, have been, through the principle of distinction, set-apart from the world and now hold a favored position with HaShem. While favored, this position holds certain responsibilities and as such, we are to live by a higher set of rules. In essence, as disciples, we must conduct our lives remembering that, "Others may, but we can't'. May we all understand the heavy responsibility that we bear toward the unbelievers when we claim the name of our Master for our own.

Here are some of the things Yeshua demanded of His disciples, elements and lifestyles that were to set them apart from others. Oddly enough these resemble the standards set out for the Levitical priesthood. As the disciples followed the lifestyle prescribed for them by the Master even after His ascension, the Messianic movement grew till it became a great influence on the world until today. Maybe we should learn something from this....

Then Yeshua told his talmidim, "If anyone wants to come after me, let him say 'No' to himself, take up his execution-stake, and keep following me. For whoever wants to save his own life will destroy it, but whoever destroys his life for my sake will find it. (Mat 16:24-25)

Everyone will know that you are my talmidim by the fact that you have love for each other."
(Joh 13:35)

If someone wants to sue you for your shirt, let him have your coat as well! And if a soldier forces you to carry his pack for one mile, carry it for two! When someone asks you for something, give it to him; when someone wants to borrow something from you, lend it to him. "You have heard that our fathers were told, 'Love your neighbor -- and hate your enemy.' But I tell you, love your enemies! Pray for those who persecute you! Then you will become children of your Father in heaven. For he makes his sun shine on good and bad people alike, and he sends rain to the righteous and the unrighteous alike. What reward do you get if you love only those who love you? Why, even tax-collectors do that! And if you are friendly only to your friends, are you doing anything out of the ordinary? Even the Goyim do that! Therefore, be perfect, just as your Father in heaven is perfect.
(Mat 5:40-48)

Sell what you own and do tzedakah -- make for yourselves purses that don't wear out, riches in heaven that never fail, where no burglar comes near, where no moth destroys. For where your wealth is, there your heart will be also.(Luk 12:33-34)

These are just a few; I'm sure you can find many others.

SHABBAT SHALOM

שבת שלום

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PAR'SHAT T'RUMAH: Alleviating the Burden of Others!

2/16/2018

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ועשׂו לי מקדשׁ ושׁכנתי בתוכם׃

"They are to make me a sanctuary, so that I may live
among them.
(Exodus 25:8)

ALLEVIATING OTHERS' BURDENS

A literal translation of this passage would read as: "They are to make me a sanctuary that I may live within them." HaShem was not to live in the Ark. The presence of the ark among the people was a sign of HaShem's presence within the people; within the people as a nation, but also as individuals. The Hebrew lends itself to both meanings.

This takes us directly to:
"If you love me, you will keep my commands; and I will ask the Father, and he will give you another comforting Counselor like me, the Spirit of Truth, to be with you forever. The world cannot receive him, because it neither sees nor knows him. You know him, because he is staying with you and will be united with you.
(John 14:15-17 CJB)

Though the Divine Presence, the Shekinah, had already been present with the patriarchs, the promise of the Presence of HaShem's Spirit within the people starts right here with the idea of the Tabernacle.

Maimonides, the famous Jewish physician, one time wrote to his son about the Tabernacle paralleling it the human body. For Maimonides, the holy ark, the innermost part, alludes to the human heart, which is the innermost part of the body.

The ark was the main part of the tabernacle because it contained the tablets of the covenant. So is the human heart the main part of the body. It is the source of life, knowledge and understanding.

The wings of the cherubim allude to the lungs.

The table in the tabernacle alludes to the human stomach. Just as food and drink are placed on the table, so the stomach is filled with food and drink that a person consumes.

The menora in the tabernacle alludes to the human mind. Just as the menora gives forth light, so the intellect enlightens the entire body.

Three stems  went out from the menora on each side. These allude to the three limbs that extend from each side of the human body, the eye, the ear, and the hand.

The incense altar alludes to the sense of smell.

The sacrificial altar alludes to the intestines, which digest the food that enters the body.

The veil covering the tabernacle alludes to the diaphragm, which is like a barrier between the parts of the body.

The washstand alludes to the moisture and other liquids in the body.

The goats' wool hangings allude to the skin that covers the human body.

The beams of the tabernacle allude to the ribs.

Maimonides then instructs his son that the parallel between the tabernacle and the human body is to teach us that:
If a person behaves as a good Jew the Divine Presence will rest upon the human being just as it was on the tabernacle.

Of course, to behave like a 'good Jew' has to do with behaving according to the precepts of the Torah. Anyone who behaves according to the precepts of the Torah can claim the Divine Presence upon them, but is simple faithfulness to Torah precepts enough? Paul spoke of:  "faithfulness expressing itself through love."(Gal 5:6)

Paul teaches that, "in him [Yeshua], bodily, lives the fullness of all that God is". (Col 2:9 CJB) and prayed for the Ephesians' congregation that, "the treasures of his glory .... will empower you with inner strength by his Spirit, so that the Messiah may live in your hearts through your trusting. Also, I pray that you will be rooted and founded in love, so that you, with all God's people, will be given strength to grasp the breadth, length, height and depth of the Messiah's love, yes, to know it, even though it is beyond all knowing, so that you will be filled with all the fullness of God."  (Eph 3:16-19 CJB)

Yeshua teaches us an expression of the Torah through love, love which Paul defines in:
Love is patient and kind, not jealous, not boastful, not proud, rude or selfish, not easily angered, and it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not gloat over other people's sins, but takes its delight in the truth. Love always bears up, always trusts, always hopes, always endures. (1Co 13:4-7 CJB)

Maimonides midrashing the Tabernacle as a human body was, unbeknownst to him, (or maybe knowingly), peering into the future when Messiah would come and encapsulate for us in a human body all that being God-like looks like.

Even in its design, the tabernacle teaches us something about a certain area of love. The Torah tells us that,
"They are to make an ark of acacia-wood three-and-three-quarters feet long, two-and-a-quarter feet wide and two-and-a-quarter feet high. You are to overlay it with pure gold -- overlay it both inside and outside -- and put a molding of gold around the top of it. ..." (Exo 25:10-11)

Chizkuni, the Torah commentator,states that the Ark consisted of wood sandwiched between two golden layers. He believes that just like the menora of the Temple, the Ark should really have been entirely of gold. The reason why it was not was that it had to be carried on the shoulders of the Levites when the Children of Israel journeyed in the desert. If the Ark would have been made entirely of gold, it would have been heavier for the people responsible to carry it. Even so, the Holy Ark was made lighter than it might have been to lighten the burden of the Levites who had to carry it. We should learn from this to always try to alleviate the burden of our fellow man.

Even Yeshua, of whom Paul says, "in him [Yeshua], bodily, lives the fullness of all that God is". (Col 2:9 CJB) believes in alleviating people's burdens. He said to the people,
"Come to me, all of you who are struggling and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, because I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light." (Mat 11:28-30 CJB)

If HaShem, in the form of the Ark and in the teaching of Yeshua, shows us about being careful not to set on people burdens heavier than they can comfortably carry, maybe also should we.

There are many ways we can alleviate people's burdens in our everyday lives.
Making things easy for the waitress (or waiter) at the restaurant or the cashier at the shop.
Making things comfortable for our children and spouses at home.
Helping someone with their shopping, cross the street, ...
But also,
Being easily imposed upon;
Not being overbearing in conversation or demands.
Being compliant with the Rabbi when he needs help.
Being more ready to listen than to talk
When visiting, act as the guests we would want to have again
Be the friend that we would want to have as a best friend.
I heard a saying one day: "Home is the place where we are treated the best and grumble the most".

Teenagers sometimes get disillusioned with their parents' service to God. It may seem to them sometimes that their parents have split personalities, one very nice, helpful, and polite to their congregation and friends and one at home. Then they let their 'hair down' and act in a commanding, complaining, and overbearing manner.

The Ark was covered with gold so it looked nice and shiny not only on the outside but also on the inside where no-one could see it. This teaches us that we should be the same 'outside' and 'inside'.  The people living with us and who are willing to put up with us at home, actually deserve our best.

Sometimes we may feel grumpy, but the fact that we had a bad day doesn't entitle us to unload on others. They may be themselves overloaded, but are not showing it out of concern to not overburden us!
.
May we PRACTICE TIKUN OLAM (repairing the world) BY ALLEVIATING OTHER PEOPLE'S BURDENS!

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PAR'SHAT MISHPATIM: About Lending Money!

2/8/2018

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אם־כסף תלוה את־עמי את־העני עמך
לא־תהיה לו כנשׁה לא־תשׂימון עליו נשׁך

"If you loan money to one of my people who is poor, you are not to deal with him as would a creditor; and you are not to charge him interest. (Exo 22:24)

Note from editor: This commandment works in concert with Lev 19;12 and Ex 20:7 concerning the importance of fulfilling oaths/vows/promises, and in this case concerning the repayment procedure of a loan. Our Master taught us that it is better not to make a vow than to make one and break it!

It is an obligatory act, not merely a charitable act, to lend money. The reason the Torah uses the word, "if" at the beginning of the sentence, is because of the latter part of the verse. Only when you lend money are you forbidden to be a creditor. A person who borrows money spends it and if he is not able to pay it back when asked, you must not press him. If however you lend someone an object, that object remains in his possession and you are therefore permitted to demand its return. (Chofetz Chayim in Nesiv Hachesed 1:2).

When we lend someone money, we gain more from our act of kindness than the borrower does. The borrower is helped only in this world, while the lender gains reward in the world to come. (Kli Yokor on this verse).

EDITOR'S NOTES: In these sayings, it seems that the Chofetz Chayim taught exactly on the same line of the Master and the apostolic writers.
Rabbi Yeshua says,
When someone asks you for something, give it to him; when someone wants to borrow something from you, lend it to him. ...

"If someone asks you for something, give it to him; if someone takes what belongs to you, don't demand it back. (Luk 6:30)

And about not lending for interest and charging credit He said,
What reward do you get if you love only those who love you? Why, even tax-collectors do that! And if you are friendly only to your friends, are you doing anything out of the ordinary? Even the Goyim do that! Therefore, be perfect, just as your Father in Heaven is perfect. (Mat 5:42-48)

About not pressing the borrower when he cannot repay he taught the following parable,
Because of this, the Kingdom of Heaven may be compared with a king who decided to settle accounts with his deputies. Right away they brought forward a man who owed him many millions; and since he couldn't pay, his master ordered that he, his wife, his children and all his possessions be sold to pay the debt. But the servant fell down before him. 'Be patient with me,' he begged, 'and I will pay back everything.' So out of pity for him, the master let him go and forgave the debt. "But as that servant was leaving, he came upon one of his fellow servants who owed him some tiny sum. He grabbed him and began to choke him, crying, 'Pay back what you owe me!' His fellow servant fell before him and begged, 'Be patient with me, and I will pay you back.' But he refused; instead, he had him thrown in jail until he should repay the debt. When the other servants saw what had happened, they were extremely distressed; and they went and told their master everything that had taken place. Then the master summoned his servant and said, 'You wicked servant! I forgave you all that debt just because you begged me to do it. Shouldn't you have had pity on your fellow servant, just as I had pity on you?' And in anger his master turned him over to the jailers for punishment until he paid back everything he owed. This is how my heavenly Father will treat you, unless you each forgive your brother from your hearts." (Mat 18:23-35)

Yeshua taught this parable as an answer to Peter's question:
Then Kefa came up and said to him, "Rabbi, how often can my brother sin against me and I have to forgive him? As many as seven times?" (Mat 18:21) To which the Master answered before going on to the parable:
"No, not seven times," answered Yeshua, "but seventy times seven!
(Mat 18:22)

The Master's prayer teaches us: "Forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors". (Mat 6:12).

In all this the Master took the cues from His Father. Due to our sin, each of us is badly indebted to the Father, but He doesn't press us for repayment. He waits for us to accept the Messianic deal He has set up for us.

Justice has to be upheld through the rewarding of the righteous and retribution against the wicked for god to be called 'just', but very often the Father is seen as the judge in the following true story.
Two men who had been friends in their youth met years later in the police court of a great city, one on the judge's bench, the other in the prisoner's dock. Evidence was heard, and the prisoner found guilty. In consideration of their former friendship the judge was asked to withhold sentence.

'No,' he said. 'that cannot be; justice must be done and the law upheld.'

So he gave sentence: 'Fifty dollars fine, or fourteen days at hard labour.'
The condemned man had nothing wherewith to pay, so prison was before him. Then the judge, having fulfilled his duty, stepped down beside the prisoner, paid his friend's fine, put his arm about him, and said, 'Now, John, you are going home with me to dinner.'

King David also believed in lending, as well as Solomon his son:

Things go well with the person who is merciful and lends, who conducts his affairs with fairness; (Psa 112:5)
He who is kind to the poor is lending to Adonai; and he will repay him for his good deed. (Pro 19:17)

The world's economy is in shambles. Industrial countries are seeing their middle classes disappearing in favor of a greater disparity between very few people becoming very rich and many people becoming very poor. Could it be that our system is flawed? It certainly does not reflect the way HaShem would have us run our finances.

The Biblical financial system is made to prevent that kind of disparity. When people follow the economic systems laid in the Torah, including those concerning the 7th and 50th year jubilees, the fruit trees, the Shabbats, the tithes, the offerings, the firsfruits, the 'corners of the fields', and loans without interests etc..., it is impossible for someone to become ultra rich or ultra poor. The question is,

WHY DON'T WE DO IT?

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PAR'SHAT: YITRO: More of Torah Teachers!

2/2/2018

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As he admonishes him concerning the training that those put in charge of the flock of God should receive, Jethro tells Moses:

והזהרתה אתהם את־החקים ואת־התורת והודעת להם
את־הדרך ילכו בה ואת־המעשׂה אשׁר יעשׂון

You should also teach them the laws and the teachings, and show them how to live their lives and what work they should do.

(Exo 18:20)

In Bava Metzia 30b, the Talmud teaches that this verse refers to bestowing chesed, visiting the sick, burying the dead, keeping the commandments, and even going beyond the minimum requirements of the commandments.

The Chofetz Chayim says that the reason why judges must be taught these obligations, even though they are obligations which everyone must fulfill, is in order that their exemplary behavior serve as a means to sanctify the Name of Heaven. When people witness the benevolence and integrity of their judges, they will readily submit themselves to their authority and heed their teachings. Furthermore the Sages have always stressed the responsibility of someone who studies Torah to behave in a manner that will generate in others the desire to have their children also study Torah (See Yoma 86b).

James, the brother of the Master echoes these words in the following statement:

Not many of you should become teachers, my brothers, since you know that we will be judged more severely. (Jas 3:1)

Paul the Master's apostle gives a more specific admonition about these things with,

But if you call yourself a Jew and rest on Torah and boast about God and know his will and give your approval to what is right, because you have been instructed from the Torah; and if you have persuaded yourself that you are a guide to the blind, a light in the darkness, an instructor for the spiritually unaware and a teacher of children, since in the Torah you have the embodiment of knowledge and truth; then, you who teach others, don't you teach yourself? Preaching, "Thou shalt not steal," do you steal? Saying, "Thou shalt not commit adultery," do you commit adultery? Detesting idols, do you commit idolatrous acts? You who take such pride in Torah, do you, by disobeying the Torah, dishonor God? --as it says in the Tanakh, "For it is because of you that God's name is blasphemed by the Goyim." (Rom 2:17-24)

To be responsible leaders, these elders were to be taught the ways of the Torah. The first virtues that they therefore will need to be endowed with is respect of position and authority, as well as humility.
One of the ethical values we see in Par'shat Yitro is in the respect that Moshe bears for Yitro, his father-in-law. 'In-laws' are the butt of jokes nowadays. If someone says, 'Oh, my in-laws are coming to spend a few days at my house next month!', we imagine that the person will be going through a stressful time at home. Not so with Moshe.
Moshe's father-in-law - likely a descendant of one of Abraham's other children through Keturah named Midian (Genesis 25:1-2) is a mysterious figure. Some contend that he was a pagan priest, while others see him continuing in the faith of Abraham his fore-father. I do not know and in ignorance, not wanting to inadvertently disrespect a position, speak evil or wrongly about someone who is not present to present their own case, I will not draw judgement. In any case, my point here is not about Jethro, also called Reu'el (Friend of God), but about Moshe.

The text of Torah tells us that,

Moshe went out to meet his father-in-law, prostrated himself and kissed him. Then, after inquiring of each other's welfare, they entered the tent.

(Exo 18:7 CJB)

Moshe had not seen his wife or children for a long time but who did he honor first? Jethro. How did he honor him, by prostrating himself and kissing him.
Whatever kind of life Jethro led is even irrelevant when it comes to Moshe. HaShem had honored Moshe with mighty miracles, talked to him face to face as a man speaks with his friend, and used him in mighty ways. Moshe could have looked upon Jethro with condescension but he did not. He went to honor and greet him even before he went to his wife and children.
Not only was Moshe mightily used by HaShem, but before that, he was an officer in Pharaoh's army. Having been raised in Pharaoh's household, he was used to a position of leadership. But in spite of that background, we read that Jethro felt comfortable to give Moshe, the great prophet of God some needed advice. This tells a lot about Moshe whom HSshem said was the meekest of all men (Num 12:3).

The prouder we are, the harder it is for us to receive counsel. We usually chaff at it by 'killing the messenger', finding fault with its deliverer. Pulling ranks is also a common way of one insecure in his position to chaff against counsel. When we indulge in these sorts of behavior, it is difficult and uneasy for us to benefit of the wise counsel of others, as people don't usually want to bother giving it to us. It is even more lethal when we act that way while in a position of leadership. The higher we are in leadership, the more we need to make it easy for others to advise us. Many a leader has fallen because of pride and not listening to advice."The higher they go, the harder they fall!" the old adage says. But it was not so with Moshe who's father-in-law felt he could tell him,

"What you are doing isn't good.
You will certainly wear yourself out --
and not only yourself, but these people here with you as well.
It's too much for you -- you can't do it alone, by yourself.
So listen now to what I have to say.
I will give you some advice, and God will be with you. ...
...
... If you do this -- and God is directing you to do it -- you will be able to endure; and all these people too will arrive at their destination peacefully."

And we see that,

Moshe paid attention to his father-in-law's counsel and did everything he said. (Exo 18:17-24 CJB)

Later, these 70 elders would honored by joining Moshe, Aaron, Eliab, and Abihu to the banquet of all banquets,

Moshe, Aharon, Nadav, Avihu and seventy of the leaders went up; and they saw the God of Isra'el. Under his feet was something like a sapphire stone pavement as clear as the sky itself. (Exo 24:9-10 CJB)

There is a time in Israel when a King, who unlike Moshe, was opposed to receiving sound advice. We usually blame King Solomon's idolatry for the break of Israel into two kingdoms, but really, HaShem had given a chance for it to not happen. After Solomon died, his son,

Rehoboam went to Shechem, for all Israel had come to Shechem to make him king. And as soon as Jeroboam the son of Nebat heard of it (for he was still in Egypt, where he had fled from King Solomon [Jeroboam was from the tribe of Ephrayim and was Solomon's right-hand man]), then Jeroboam returned from Egypt. And they sent and called him, and

Jeroboam and all the assembly of Israel came and said to Rehoboam, "Your father made our yoke heavy. Now therefore lighten the hard service of your father and his heavy yoke on us, and we will serve you." He said to them, "Go away for three days, then come again to me." So the people went away.

Then King Rehoboam took counsel with the old men, who had stood before Solomon his father while he was yet alive, saying, "How do you advise me to answer this people?" And they said to him, "If you will be a servant to this people today and serve them, and speak good words to them when you answer them, then they will be your servants forever." But he abandoned the counsel that the old men gave him and took counsel with the young men who had grown up with him and stood before him. And he said to them, "What do you advise that we answer this people who have said to me, 'Lighten the yoke that your father put on us'?" And the young men who had grown up with him said to him, "Thus shall you speak to this people who said to you, 'Your father made our yoke heavy, but you lighten it for us,' thus shall you say to them, 'My little finger is thicker than my father's thighs. And now, whereas my father laid on you a heavy yoke, I will add to your yoke. My father disciplined you with whips, but I will discipline you with scorpions.'"

So Jeroboam and all the people came to Rehoboam the third day, as the king said, "Come to me again the third day." And the king answered the people harshly, and forsaking the counsel that the old men had given him, he spoke to them according to the counsel of the young men, saying, "My father made your yoke heavy, but I will add to your yoke. My father disciplined you with whips, but I will discipline you with scorpions." So the king did not listen to the people, for it was a turn of affairs brought about by the LORD that he might fulfill his word, which the LORD spoke by Ahijah the Shilonite to Jeroboam the son of Nebat.

And when all Israel saw that the king did not listen to them, the people answered the king, "What portion do we have in David? We have no inheritance in the son of Jesse. To your tents, O Israel! Look now to your own house, David." So Israel went to their tents. But Rehoboam reigned over the people of Israel who lived in the cities of Judah. Then King Rehoboam sent Adoram, who was taskmaster over the forced labor, and all Israel stoned him to death with stones. And King Rehoboam hurried to mount his chariot to flee to Jerusalem. So Israel has been in rebellion against the house of David to this day. And when all Israel heard that Jeroboam had returned, they sent and called him to the assembly and made him king over all Israel. There was none that followed the house of David but the tribe of Judah only. (1Ki 12:1-20 ESV)

HaShem used Pharaoh's already hardened pride to accomplish His will (Ex 14:4). Throughout history, He used Israel's enemy's to reveal Himself to the world. Pharaoh, the Assyrian Empire, Nebuchadnezzar, Cyrus, the Amalekites, the Philistines, Antiochus Epiphanes, Tiberius Caesar, the Catholic Inquisition, the Third Reich, alongside with Balaam, the Edomites, the Moabites, and all the other villains of History were but instruments in His hands to accomplish His will.

Just like them and Rehoboam, through our pride and our rebellion against His will, we have the potential to also set ourselves as instruments of destruction in His hands to accomplish His will.

A conclusion can be drawn that,

We are the ones who decide for what purpose we come to be used by HaShem.
Our pride will be used towards destruction;
Our humility will be used towards edification.
But weather through our pride or our humility, we remain instruments in Hashem's hands.
May it be for good, and for edification.

The apostle says,

To be zealous is good, provided always that the cause is good.
(Gal 4:18 CJB)

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